Dark green algae on Anubias

What am I doing wrong? The anubias in my 55 gallon tank all have dark green algae on them. I have a low tech finnex stingray light in that tank (5-6hrs per day). I use API leaf zone once a week and API CO2 Booster daily. The plants are growing nicely, but just the anubias (and tank walls) are covered in this dark green algae. They are very difficult to get off the glass and equipment.

 

I think it is pretty normal to have some spot algae growth on anubias. They are a very slow growing plant. If there isn’t anything to break up the direct light it happens for sure. They plant can still remain healthy and grow very well if it’s just some spot algae. Try dosing excel if you don’t.

However, they appear to be deficient based on the crinkly edges and a little yellowing inside the leaves. I would guess potassium, calcium, trace elements.

 

Will excel work for the deficiency? And should I be using it in addition to the api leaf zone and co2 booster?

 

Excel is not for mineral deficiencies. It would be a very similar product to your API CO2 Boost. I have never used API, some claim it to be better and have better properties for carbon infusion. I believe excel users with say Excel has better properties at being an algicide, which I can attest to.

I checked the API Leaf Zone ingredients. It is 0.1% iron and 3% potassium. The recommended dose is once a week. By comparison Seachem Iron is 10 times higher at 1% and is dosed 4 times a week. Hence your plants would receive 40 times more iron in a week. By comparison the Seachem Potassium is 6%. This is 2 times higher than API. Seachem recommends dosing twice a week. So that’s 4 times more potassium than you use.

I’m assuming in conjunction to Leaf Zone you are using some form of a root tab fertilizer or liquid fertilizer?

Every person in the hobby of fish keeping likes what they like. These are just my suggestions To reconsider replacing at least the Leaf Zone for Seachem Iron and Potassium. Others who post will have their opinions. I’m sure you will figure out what’s best for you. FYI I was looking for algae and your other plant deficiencies stood out right away.

you may want to take a look at Seachem Trace as well

 

Excel is not for mineral deficiencies. It would be a very similar product to your API CO2 Boost. I have never used API, some claim it to be better and have better properties for carbon infusion. I believe excel users with say Excel has better properties at being an algicide, which I can attest to.

I checked the API Leaf Zone ingredients. It is 0.1% iron and 3% potassium. The recommended dose is once a week. By comparison Seachem Iron is 10 times higher at 1% and is dosed 4 times a week. Hence your plants would receive 40 times more iron in a week. By comparison the Seachem Potassium is 6%. This is 2 times higher than API. Seachem recommends dosing twice a week. So that’s 4 times more potassium than you use.

I’m assuming in conjunction to Leaf Zone you are using some form of a root tab fertilizer or liquid fertilizer?

Every person in the hobby of fish keeping likes what they like. These are just my suggestions To reconsider replacing at least the Leaf Zone for Seachem Iron and Potassium. Others who post will have their opinions. I’m sure you will figure out what’s best for you. FYI I was looking for algae and your other plant deficiencies stood out right away.

you may want to take a look at Seachem Trace as well

Thank you. I will pick up a bottle of seachem iron. I don’t know what seachem trace is so I will have to look that up. I am not using root taps because I was afraid the copper in that would hurt my shrimps. I just got a bottle of Flourish Adcance, should I still continue using that?

 

Thank you. I will pick up a bottle of seachem iron. I don’t know what seachem trace is so I will have to look that up. I am not using root taps because I was afraid the copper in that would hurt my shrimps. I just got a bottle of Flourish Adcance, should I still continue using that?

Seachem advance is amazing for root growth. Keep using it. Your plants need a fertilizer to service. If you don’t want to use tabs, use Seachem comprehensive. I’ve you are getting Seachem Iron, may as well get their potassium. Maybe hold off on the trace until you see how everything else settles in.

One of my planted tanks has amano shrimp and bamboo shrimp. Seachem Products has not harmed them.